Patent · US Active

Directional flat illuminators

US9519153B2 · kind B2 · utility

122Cited by
45References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 2011
Grant dateDec 13, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 25, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N13/398
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical valve or light valve for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources, and system and method thereof for 2D, 3D, and/or autosteroscopic displays. An optical valve may include a stepped structure, in which the steps include separated extraction features which may be optically hidden to light propagating in a first direction. Light propagating in a second direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the optical valve. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.